Class confusion cleared up
Hekkie Budler is a champion in one of three weight divisions, depending on who is writing or talking.
The little South African buzz saw is listed by various organisations and publications as the holder of the WBA and IBO strawweight, minimumweight and mini-flyweight titles.
It confuses boxing fans and followers who often encounter two of three names for the same weight classes. In South Africa Budler is mostly regarded as the minimumweight champion, but in reports from abroad he is often described as the strawweight or mini-flyweight champion.
Two of the leading sanctioning organisations have now agreed to use the same tags for the 17 divisions in professional boxing. The World Boxing Council and the World Boxing Association will classify boxers according to a standardised list, using the same names as those to be found on supersport.com.
The International Boxing Federation and the World Boxing Organisation have not indicated whether they will adopt the list but boxing fans and media representatives would be delighted if they do.
In addition to the three names for the lightest division, junior featherweights have been listed as super-bantamweights. Cruiserweights have been classed as junior heavyweights and the super-welterweight division is known in some quarters as the junior middleweight class.
Junior flyweights are also called light-flyweights. Other examples are junior lightweight, which is also known as super-featherweight, and junior welterweight, which is often called super-lightweight and light-welterweight.
THE 17 DIVISIONS
The WBC and WBA – and supersport.com – will refer to the 17 divisions according to this list:
Minimumweight – 47.6 kg (105 pounds) Light-flyweight – 47.63 (108) Flyweight – 48.99 (112) Super-flyweight – 50.80 (115) Bantamweight – 53.52 (118) Super-bantamweight – 55.34 (122) Featherweight – 57.15 (126) Super-featherweight – 58.97 (130) Lightweight – 61.24 (135) Super-lightweight – 63.50 (140) Welterweight – 66.68 (147) Super-welterweight – 69.85 (154) Middleweight – 72.58 (16) Super-middleweight – 76.20 (168) Light-heavyweight – 79.38 (175) Cruiserweight – 90.719 (200) Heavyweight – 90.719 (200) and over
